Have You Crashed on an Expensive Bike?
04-14-15, 09:59 AM
#26
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Disclaimer: Made this thread so I can feel better and wallow with my fellow compadres.
So it happened today. Fell because I couldnt clip out in time. After putting 150 miles on my bike I finally fell. I read the "you'll fall eventually" threads and I told myself that I wouldnt fall victim to that. I clipped in and unclipped really well up to this point. I was coming up on one of those slight rights when I noticed the light was going to turn green and cars were going to come my way so I had to slow down. Unfortunately for some reason my usual effort of unclipping didn't result in unclipping so I toppled over onto the sidewalk. Needless to say I'm pretty happy I didnt get severely hurt but I can't lie, my pride is kind of bruised at the fact that I fell over at an intersection with cars just starring at me.
Brushed myself off and rode home. I tried to look for damages and the only thing I found were some scratches on the pedals and one or two nicks on the rear derailleur which aren't a big deal to me. My paranoid side tells me THERE HAS to be some sort of damage on the frame. That I can't fall over and just escape with some cuts on my arm and scratches on the derailleur and pedals. I just can't believe that. I really somehow convinced myself that theres damage that I'm overlooking, even though I looked over the bike four time.
That being said, its upsetting to scratch the bike so soon after buying it. Its like 6-8k like the S-Works or Cervelos that some of you are riding but its still a good chunk of money to me
Has anyone crashed on their primary expensive bike and not a back up bike?
So it happened today. Fell because I couldnt clip out in time. After putting 150 miles on my bike I finally fell. I read the "you'll fall eventually" threads and I told myself that I wouldnt fall victim to that. I clipped in and unclipped really well up to this point. I was coming up on one of those slight rights when I noticed the light was going to turn green and cars were going to come my way so I had to slow down. Unfortunately for some reason my usual effort of unclipping didn't result in unclipping so I toppled over onto the sidewalk. Needless to say I'm pretty happy I didnt get severely hurt but I can't lie, my pride is kind of bruised at the fact that I fell over at an intersection with cars just starring at me.
Brushed myself off and rode home. I tried to look for damages and the only thing I found were some scratches on the pedals and one or two nicks on the rear derailleur which aren't a big deal to me. My paranoid side tells me THERE HAS to be some sort of damage on the frame. That I can't fall over and just escape with some cuts on my arm and scratches on the derailleur and pedals. I just can't believe that. I really somehow convinced myself that theres damage that I'm overlooking, even though I looked over the bike four time.
That being said, its upsetting to scratch the bike so soon after buying it. Its like 6-8k like the S-Works or Cervelos that some of you are riding but its still a good chunk of money to me
Has anyone crashed on their primary expensive bike and not a back up bike?
Check the frame wherever it can hit the ground or another component, like the front brake arm, can hit. Listen for new creaks when you next ride. But overall, the frame is pretty well protected by your body, so if you're this paranoid and you've checked the bike four times and didn't find anything, you are probably golden. Ride on.
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Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
04-14-15, 10:00 AM
#27
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The first crash always hurts the most, indeed. Also, "expensive" is a very subjective term. My first 1k bike was expensive to me, so that first crash was painful. Physically and psychologically. Fell hard on asphalt on too-fast too-tight a turn on wet trail, bent the right shifter severely, but everything else was quite OK. Also skinned off pretty much the entire right side of my body. My reaction was probably what you can expect when you do this with a brand new bike: as soon as I realized I could move everything and walk, the bike was my main worry. Fortunately I was very close to my LBS, the local Performance, so I walked in with the bike, leaving a trail of dripping blood behind me, heading to the shop at the back of the store. Everyone started panicking about my state, and I was all blurry eyed swatting them away going "Mike! Where's Mike?" - Mike being the shop guy 
Must have been quite a sight. The bike was OK. As was I, eventually, although I did learn that aluminum is a lot tougher than human flesh...
Must have been quite a sight. The bike was OK. As was I, eventually, although I did learn that aluminum is a lot tougher than human flesh...
04-14-15, 10:09 AM
#28
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No offense, but definitely shouldn't call falling over from not unclipping (we've all done it) a "crash".
A couple weeks ago on was on a ride on a pretty breezy/gusty day, got a big gust unexpectedly, blew me one way, tried to correct but it was too late and fell the other way. I'm pretty sure I got off easy, bike only got cosmetic damage to the rear QR, rear seatstay and messed up bar tape. I got scrapes on my elbow, and major road rash on my thigh plus a couple random scrapes here and there.
A couple weeks ago on was on a ride on a pretty breezy/gusty day, got a big gust unexpectedly, blew me one way, tried to correct but it was too late and fell the other way. I'm pretty sure I got off easy, bike only got cosmetic damage to the rear QR, rear seatstay and messed up bar tape. I got scrapes on my elbow, and major road rash on my thigh plus a couple random scrapes here and there.
04-14-15, 11:54 AM
#29
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Expensive to me
This crash was in 1981. Keep in mind, that at this time, biking hats/caps were more popular than biking helmets. The bike was a white 1980/1981 Raleigh 10-speed. I had named her Ruth after one of the Anne McCaffrey Dragonrider of Pern books' dragon. The bike cost ~$300 at the time.
I was on my bike in Atlant at Georgia Tech, and I was coasting down a (big) hill. It was 3rd St (now Bobby Dodd Way) between Cherry St. and Techwood Ave. It's probably a double digit incline (or decline in the direction that I was going). I was in the drops, so I was in a pretty good aero position, so I was easily going 25+ mph.
When all of a sudden, a car that was parallel parked (on the wrong side of the road) pulled out of a parking space. I hit the brakes and skidded into the vehicle. Luckily, I also tried to turn, as that threw my arms/hands up in front of my face before I hit the windshield, went over the top of the car, and hit the pavement behind the car. From the type and location of the non-displaced fracture in my left leg, the doctor and I figured that I must have landed on that little ankle bone on the outside of the foot, and it sent a vibration up my leg that fractured it. I also bit my tongue when I hit the windshield, so I had a decent bit of blood in my mouth, and when I spit the blood out, I heard a lot of people groan. Luckily someone came over, and kept me laying down until the paramedics got there, as I probably would have fallen over when I put any weight on that leg. Getting the methiolate on my arm, after the doctors and nurses removed the glass was the most painful part of the ordeal (and the nuse and I are probably glad she warned me that it was going to be painful, as I held on the railing of the hospital bed as she applied the antibiotics).
Later on, when I went to a fraternity rush party, I was telling the story to a few people when one of them said, "That was you? I thought you were dead."
Total Damage:
Car: Front Driver Side Fender Dented; Windshield totaly spiderwebbed causing car to be towed.
Bike: bent frame; Front wheel completely bent; Handlebars out of true.
Me: Broken Leg; Few minor scars on my right arm from the safety glass.
And this is why I wanted disc brakes on my new bike as I get back into biking. (I did ride a little after this, but I wasn't as enthusiastic as before the accident.)
GH
I was on my bike in Atlant at Georgia Tech, and I was coasting down a (big) hill. It was 3rd St (now Bobby Dodd Way) between Cherry St. and Techwood Ave. It's probably a double digit incline (or decline in the direction that I was going). I was in the drops, so I was in a pretty good aero position, so I was easily going 25+ mph.
When all of a sudden, a car that was parallel parked (on the wrong side of the road) pulled out of a parking space. I hit the brakes and skidded into the vehicle. Luckily, I also tried to turn, as that threw my arms/hands up in front of my face before I hit the windshield, went over the top of the car, and hit the pavement behind the car. From the type and location of the non-displaced fracture in my left leg, the doctor and I figured that I must have landed on that little ankle bone on the outside of the foot, and it sent a vibration up my leg that fractured it. I also bit my tongue when I hit the windshield, so I had a decent bit of blood in my mouth, and when I spit the blood out, I heard a lot of people groan. Luckily someone came over, and kept me laying down until the paramedics got there, as I probably would have fallen over when I put any weight on that leg. Getting the methiolate on my arm, after the doctors and nurses removed the glass was the most painful part of the ordeal (and the nuse and I are probably glad she warned me that it was going to be painful, as I held on the railing of the hospital bed as she applied the antibiotics).
Later on, when I went to a fraternity rush party, I was telling the story to a few people when one of them said, "That was you? I thought you were dead."
Total Damage:
Car: Front Driver Side Fender Dented; Windshield totaly spiderwebbed causing car to be towed.
Bike: bent frame; Front wheel completely bent; Handlebars out of true.
Me: Broken Leg; Few minor scars on my right arm from the safety glass.
And this is why I wanted disc brakes on my new bike as I get back into biking. (I did ride a little after this, but I wasn't as enthusiastic as before the accident.)
GH
Last edited by ColaJacket; 04-14-15 at 11:57 AM.
04-14-15, 12:00 PM
#30
Senior Member
Disclaimer: Made this thread so I can feel better and wallow with my fellow compadres.
So it happened today. Fell because I couldnt clip out in time. After putting 150 miles on my bike I finally fell. I read the "you'll fall eventually" threads and I told myself that I wouldnt fall victim to that. I clipped in and unclipped really well up to this point. I was coming up on one of those slight rights when I noticed the light was going to turn green and cars were going to come my way so I had to slow down. Unfortunately for some reason my usual effort of unclipping didn't result in unclipping so I toppled over onto the sidewalk. Needless to say I'm pretty happy I didnt get severely hurt but I can't lie, my pride is kind of bruised at the fact that I fell over at an intersection with cars just starring at me.
Brushed myself off and rode home. I tried to look for damages and the only thing I found were some scratches on the pedals and one or two nicks on the rear derailleur which aren't a big deal to me. My paranoid side tells me THERE HAS to be some sort of damage on the frame. That I can't fall over and just escape with some cuts on my arm and scratches on the derailleur and pedals. I just can't believe that. I really somehow convinced myself that theres damage that I'm overlooking, even though I looked over the bike four time.
That being said, its upsetting to scratch the bike so soon after buying it. Its like 6-8k like the S-Works or Cervelos that some of you are riding but its still a good chunk of money to me
Has anyone crashed on their primary expensive bike and not a back up bike?
So it happened today. Fell because I couldnt clip out in time. After putting 150 miles on my bike I finally fell. I read the "you'll fall eventually" threads and I told myself that I wouldnt fall victim to that. I clipped in and unclipped really well up to this point. I was coming up on one of those slight rights when I noticed the light was going to turn green and cars were going to come my way so I had to slow down. Unfortunately for some reason my usual effort of unclipping didn't result in unclipping so I toppled over onto the sidewalk. Needless to say I'm pretty happy I didnt get severely hurt but I can't lie, my pride is kind of bruised at the fact that I fell over at an intersection with cars just starring at me.
Brushed myself off and rode home. I tried to look for damages and the only thing I found were some scratches on the pedals and one or two nicks on the rear derailleur which aren't a big deal to me. My paranoid side tells me THERE HAS to be some sort of damage on the frame. That I can't fall over and just escape with some cuts on my arm and scratches on the derailleur and pedals. I just can't believe that. I really somehow convinced myself that theres damage that I'm overlooking, even though I looked over the bike four time.
That being said, its upsetting to scratch the bike so soon after buying it. Its like 6-8k like the S-Works or Cervelos that some of you are riding but its still a good chunk of money to me
Has anyone crashed on their primary expensive bike and not a back up bike?
Happened to us all at one time or another. Learned humility is a good thing. Keeps the ego in check.
PS, I wouldn't worry about the cars staring at you, it's the people I'd worry about but who cares, they all think we look like idiots anyway so a fall is just confirmation of their pre-suppositions.
04-14-15, 12:12 PM
#31
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When I was a student at UCONN, undergraduate, I was out cycling on a brilliant sun dappled day. Wearing sun glasses and going down forested roads and steep hills can be a dangerous thing, sorting out a pot hole from the shadows of trees can be near impossible at 40 mph.
Anyway, going downhill at 40mph I hit a pothole, quite deep, and went into a wobble, then death wobble and crashed, end over end over end. blood everywhere, minor concussion, taco'ed front wheel. This was before helmets. I did a brief trauma assessment (worked as an EMT throughout college) and figured I'd live.
Lady behind me just drove right on by witnessing the entire thing.
Now thats a crash.
Then there was the time in 1972 that I got my first nail on cleats, yes, we used to nail them in place, with the cages and leather straps. On a busy street, my two sisters are holding me up as I tighten the straps. I'm ready, they let go, I fall over scraping my elbow, hand and pride. Now that was a fall.
I could go on and on but you get the point.
Anyway, going downhill at 40mph I hit a pothole, quite deep, and went into a wobble, then death wobble and crashed, end over end over end. blood everywhere, minor concussion, taco'ed front wheel. This was before helmets. I did a brief trauma assessment (worked as an EMT throughout college) and figured I'd live.
Lady behind me just drove right on by witnessing the entire thing.
Now thats a crash.
Then there was the time in 1972 that I got my first nail on cleats, yes, we used to nail them in place, with the cages and leather straps. On a busy street, my two sisters are holding me up as I tighten the straps. I'm ready, they let go, I fall over scraping my elbow, hand and pride. Now that was a fall.
I could go on and on but you get the point.
04-14-15, 12:19 PM
#32
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I've owned a carbon race bike for three years, and I've had one fall each year, either a clipless moment or the inevitable forgot-this-frame-has-toe-overlap low-speed crash. The pedals and shifters are increasingly scuffed, but perform no worse than ever they have. The frame is entirely unmoved by my recurring embarrassments.
04-14-15, 01:02 PM
#33
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I have done the clipped out to late thing and at the time it was a $2000 bike, expensive enough. Now that I have a bike with $6000+ invested, I have yet to crash. But like anything new and shiny that first scratch is going to hurt the most. Found out later my kid seen me adjusting the clip in/out tension on my pedals and he helped me out by tightening them all the way. New pedals and cleats, my first experience with clippless, he just expidited the inevitable. I am certain this only happens when lots of peope are around to witness such an event.
I crashed my Colnago two weeks ago. The light was red and I was turning right. I did not notice that a car was turning left into the same lane and his light was green. Down I went to avoid hitting him. It was 38 degrees, which is freezing to me. I scraped my leg, hip and arm up pretty good and put a small scratch in my bike. The driver probably soiled his seat. I apologized to him as it was my fault and hopped back on to meet the group. It was a miserable ride but I am thankful that my skin armor took the brunt of the marks and not my bike.
04-14-15, 01:20 PM
#36
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Yes, this thread is insulting to those that have really crashed. I have been lucky so far (knock on wood). But know a few people that have actually crashed their bikes and usually they need a new bike and 2-12 mos recovery time before getting back on the bike + expense of new expensive bike and lots of medical bills
04-14-15, 01:20 PM
#37
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when I crashed my crabon fibre bike I found no damage to anything (not even shifters/saddle) I did end up breaking my clavicle and splitting my helmet, so as others have said; it's possible to crash your bike and have no damage to the bike.
04-14-15, 01:25 PM
#38
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If your bike is more expensive than the deductible on your health insurance you should make sure to land body first.
04-14-15, 01:34 PM
#39
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Yes. i crashed in Sept. 2014 when a dog ran out in front of me as i was almost finsihed going down a steep hill. As i saw the dog i turned the front wheel a little to the right for the impact as there wasn't much else i could do. When I hit the dog it seemed to jack me up in the air and i unclipped my left foot to try and retain some kind of balance as i was going over. With that, my right leg popped out of the pedal and came down on my large front chainring, essentially filleting the inside of my calf muscles. it took 36 stitches to repair that and 90 days if healing as it developed a bacterial infection. All is good now and still putting the miles on the same bike. somce torn up bar tape, brake hood and that was it.
04-14-15, 01:37 PM
#40
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As they say: "It's a tool, not a jewel" - whether we're talking about bicycles, cameras, watches, fountain pens, etc.
As to the OP, while I wouldn't call my fixed gear "expensive", it certainly isn't cheap either - let's just say, it's well into the four-figure range. A couple of years ago I decided to start commuting to work Within the first week or so, I got up to a light drizzle. Before this I usually never rode in the rain, but I figured, it was something I was going to have to get used to if I was going to commute regularly. Most of my commute is on a MUP, which at a little after 6 am if very lightly traveled, even less so when it's raining. I was cranking away, and came to a section where the MUP makes a sharp left turn. Well, instead of cutting the corner, or slowing down, I just held my line (and speed). Not sure if my pedal struck the ground (fixed gear remember - no coasting), or the wet pavement caused my tires to lose traction, but the next thing I knew I was on the ground, one shoe on, the other still clipped in. I had some road rash (shoulder and legs), tore up the jacket, gloves and leg warmers I was wearing. The bike had scraped up bar tape, the brake hood was shifted over (just pounded it back into place), might have had some scrapes on the clear coat (though they may have been a pre-existing condition). Ended up riding in to work, raiding the first aid kit to patch myself up, then continuing on.
About a month after I got my custom Steve Rex (which probably is by anybody's measure an "expensive bike") I was riding after work with a couple of friends. Due to construction the road we were on was closed with a detour up onto a levee. Instead of getting off and walking up the side of the levee, I tried to ride up. Unfortunately it was dirt and gravel (and uphill). Not thinking, I stood up to power up the levee. Unfortunately, standing up un-weighted my rear wheel enough for it to lose traction, which caused me to lose momentum, and over I went. I think I ended up with superficial scratches to the left brifter, and the seat post rack was shifted over (which I pounded back into position). Other than that, the only damage was to my ego - fortunately my friends were ahead of me and didn't see the "crash".
04-14-15, 01:41 PM
#41
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04-14-15, 01:43 PM
#42
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But let's say for a second I would be dumb enough to suggest non-ironically that all people should buy a trainer just to practice using clipless pedals: Would they still fall upon taking a real ride?
04-14-15, 01:43 PM
#43
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04-14-15, 01:47 PM
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I did that when I was getting back into biking. I had bought a fixed gear to help motivate me, and started with toe clips and straps ('cuz that's what all the cool kids were doing". I soon realized why I had switched to clipless years ago. I dug out my old Speedplays (actually just pulled them off the tandem) and installed them on the fixed gear. Then I thought, "Hmmm. I'm still learning to ride this thing. Perhaps it would be a good idea to practice and reacquaint myself with the Speedplays first." So, I set up the trainer, and practiced riding and clipping in and out. Did that for 15 minutes or so, until I felt comfortable with it. Of course, a couple of months later, I was riding through midtown on my way to my wife's office picnic, and I came to a traffic light. I figured I could (1) stop and unclip, (2) stop and do my feeble attempt at a track stand, or (3) slow down and "run the red". Couldn't decide what to do, so I fell over. Scratched the brake hood, twisted the mount for my Garmin out of position, and embarrassed the h*** out of me.
04-14-15, 01:57 PM
#45
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haha, I know I have no perspective in this matter. I'm riding outdoors 12 months a year. Although those chilly winter mornings when it's in the 40s are brutal!! (and I grew up in New England so I say that with sarcasm)
04-14-15, 03:36 PM
#46
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I snapped my Bianchi 928 T-Cube right in half when I plowed into a curb.
04-14-15, 03:53 PM
#47
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I was next to a guy on the starting line the other morning, he was on his third frame.....THIS YEAR.
Crashed coming down from Big Bear in February of maybe 1986 or 87 on my Vitus Carbonne 9 decked out in Campy C-Record. I never saw that gigantic crack in the road as I leaned in for a corner but I was really, really moving and my eyes were not so good (pre Lasix). Goretex? Shredded. First layer of wool. Shredded. Underlayer. Shredded. Skin. Minor abrasions. Bike? Front wheel pretzeled. Hitched back. None of the Hippies gave me a ride. A hunter saved my bacon and went out of his way to get me to my hotel.
Crashed a Klein in the wee wee hours of a 400K Brevet back in the late 80's or early 90's. Bridge surfaces really do freeze first. Just bent the bars and shifter a bit. I got cut up.
From the true hall of shame, I rolled a tire in the late 70's. This was right after a Prime sprint. I spent some time in the ambulance. I glued my own tires on after that. Bike was fine.
Crashed coming down from Big Bear in February of maybe 1986 or 87 on my Vitus Carbonne 9 decked out in Campy C-Record. I never saw that gigantic crack in the road as I leaned in for a corner but I was really, really moving and my eyes were not so good (pre Lasix). Goretex? Shredded. First layer of wool. Shredded. Underlayer. Shredded. Skin. Minor abrasions. Bike? Front wheel pretzeled. Hitched back. None of the Hippies gave me a ride. A hunter saved my bacon and went out of his way to get me to my hotel.
Crashed a Klein in the wee wee hours of a 400K Brevet back in the late 80's or early 90's. Bridge surfaces really do freeze first. Just bent the bars and shifter a bit. I got cut up.
From the true hall of shame, I rolled a tire in the late 70's. This was right after a Prime sprint. I spent some time in the ambulance. I glued my own tires on after that. Bike was fine.
04-14-15, 04:08 PM
#48
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Yes, this thread is insulting to those that have really crashed. I have been lucky so far (knock on wood). But know a few people that have actually crashed their bikes and usually they need a new bike and 2-12 mos recovery time before getting back on the bike + expense of new expensive bike and lots of medical bills
04-14-15, 05:05 PM
#49
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Repeat to yourself 100 times, "...now that I have that out of the way...." and continue to enjoy your new bike. One of the reason I like to buy used bikes is someone has already gone to the trouble of putting scratches in the paint so that I don't have to.
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FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
04-15-15, 09:26 AM
#50
your god hates me
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,587
Bikes: 2016 Richard Sachs, 2010 Carl Strong, 2006 Cannondale Synapse
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I have twice been involved in catastrophic crashes* riding my custom Carl Strong. Both times had to send the frame back to Carl for a new downtube (and repaint), and after the second time we determined that the fork should also be replaced just for peace of mind.
* OP: Falling over because you couldn't clip out isn't a "crash", that's just falling over.I haven't had the pleasure of doing that on my expensive bike yet. FWIW by "Catastrophic crash" I'm referring to ones involving ambulances and emergency room visits and broken bones and stuff.